The present invention relates to a method for transferring a golf ball freshly coated with paint. Also, the present invention relates to a method and apparatus for manufacturing a golf ball, comprising a step or means for transferring a golf ball freshly coated with paint.
Generally, golf balls are classified into a solid golf ball such as one-piece golf ball, a two-piece golf ball, and a three-piece golf ball, and a thread-wound golf ball. For any kind of golf balls, the ball surface is coated with paint.
Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2002-204840 describes a method for painting a golf ball. In this painting method, a golf ball is placed on a plurality of prong bodies and the whole surface of the golf ball is coated with a paint by using a spray gun, and thereafter the freshly coated golf ball is transferred from the prong bodies to a drying tray by holding both sides of the freshly coated golf ball by a supporter having a plurality of claws.
A problem with the above-described method is that when the freshly coated golf ball is transferred by the method described in the above-described publication, an indication or seal such as a trademark, a logotype, a number, and the like printed or affixed on the side surface of golf ball may blur or shift. There is also a problem that since the golf ball must be held by a strong force using the claws, the coated surface of golf ball may be damaged.
Also, Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 8-318186 describes a method for painting a golf ball, in which a golf ball is placed on a plurality of needle-shaped members and the whole surface of the golf ball is coated with a paint by using a spray gun, and thereafter the painted golf ball is dried in a state of being placed on the needle-shaped members.
In the methods described in the above-described two publications, the painted golf ball does not rotate around its horizontal axis during the time from painting to finish of drying. Therefore, the paint applied to the ball surface may be distributed unevenly between the top and bottom of the ball. The unevenness of paint applied to the golf ball not only may mar the aesthetic appearance of golf ball but also may mar the symmetry of golf ball and may upset the balance of the volume, diameter, depth, and the like of dimples formed uniformly, thereby degrading the aerodynamic characteristics of golf ball.